• Cross-posted from Channel 4 KOB, Albuquerque, NM »
New Mexicans who oppose the slaughter of horses may soon score another victory as U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) prepares to pick a battle with the Albuquerque BioPark.
Few zoo visitors were aware that New Mexico’s largest zoo purchases tens of thousands of pounds of horse meat at a time. It’s among several zoos across the country — but not all — that rely on a horse meat diet for certain carnivorous animals.
Lujan Grisham said she intends to write a letter to the BioPark encouraging the zoo to make changes. She’s already a lead co-sponsor on bipartisan legislation (H.R. 1942) that would ban the slaughter of American horses in the U.S. and in other countries.
Few in New Mexico would argue that the horse is not an iconic symbol of America. That certainly includes people in Placitas, where a large mural adorned with horses welcomes visitors.
Patience O’Dowd, of the Wild Horse Observers Association, lives there.
“I’ve been working as an animal activist for many years,” she said on Tuesday.
She supports any effort to stop the slaughter of horses.
“Because for our culture, we don’t eat our friends,” she said. “And so then why is it OK for our culture to send our friends to someone else to eat?”
O’Dowd said there’s plenty of evidence to prove that horse meat can be unsafe for humans and other animals to eat. She said horses are often injected with various drugs and chemicals in their lives that are unsafe for human consumption.
In February, reports show that a tiger and wolf were killed at a zoo in Nevada after consuming meat that came from a euthanized horse.
Featured image source: NewMexicoPBS.org
Tuesday's Horse 
No one really knows just how many zoo animals have died from eating horse meat. Some of the zoos probably don’t care simply from the fact that they breed replacement animals all the time. Zoos are another reason that none of the anti-slaughter bills have ever been moved from committee and voted on. The racing industry along with over breeders in every state plus the zoos lobby their politicians in DC to not ever allow any bill to pass that would stop horse slaughter. You wonder too what if someone in Europe or anyone had bought horse meat that was taken from a horse that was euthanized you would have found the person dead in their bed. I’m wondering too if this may have happened thinking the person had died from natural causes we will never know I’m afraid.
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We are back to the people who know and don’t care. A captive breeding program is all they need to keep the folks coming. Dead zoo animals from eating horsemeat is not as outrageous as having your dog die from the same problems. Apparently.
Zoo foundations are some of the richest nonprofits. They don’t care about the animals – witness the tiny spaces alllocated for displays. Even the zoo safari parks are a joke – on us who go t them for education on the animal$ The foundations only care that they are receiving grants, exchanging research monies and attend the galas put on by Wealthy t fund more – more something.
The zoos have fed horsemeat to their big cats for years and years. Its time people wake up and look behind the curtain at the old grumpy man poulling the levers and pushng the buttons.
Reality. Wan some reality, look at the photos just taken (April 28, 2015) at the Kaufman ship pens. Look at the poor depressed horses whose magnificient and compassionate spirits have been broken. Standing in mud up to their bellies, broken bones untended, scraped and starved!
Wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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